Does the Universe Have a Purpose?

[Martin Marprelate]

And what of Gen 1:16-17?

. . . he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.
​

Is that saying the earth is central to the purpose of the stars? At least the ones we can see?

Absolutely, and not only the ones that we can see. Psalm 19 again. As we look into the night sky, we should be awe-struck at the glory of the Universe. And as we learn more about the billions of stars and planets, we should be even more amazed at the power and majesty of God, and at the fact that He has love and concern for the tiny speck of matter that is earth. 'When I consider our heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that have ordained; what is man that visit him, the son of man that You are mindful of him?' (Psalm 8:3-4).

It is my belief that one of the causes of lack of belief in God is light pollution. In many towns and cities you are blessed if you can see half a dozen stars. Not much to get awe-struck about.

 

[Aaron]

Okay, does that answer your questions here, or have you been slithering up to something else?

Slithering only toward Christ, for Whom this vast universe was made . . . all things in heaven and earth were created by him and for him.

There is a grand event, central to the identity of Christ, by which He merited His name and His position in Heaven. That event is the Cross. That event took place upon the surface of this earth, and it was that one event for which this universe was created. Those who are crucified with Him will live when God, Who began the universe, closes it. Those who are not crucified with Christ, will perish.

Christ is the purpose of all creation.

We're told that clues to this purpose can be seen in nature, not only in what is observed in the skies, but also in the earth, and that the natural tendency of men is to suppress that knowledge. Some explanations for their observations will be rejected and others accepted based not on how well one explanation fits the data, but upon the preferred philosophies of the observers and their society. Right now, purposelessness is the preferred and only allowable framework upon which to fashion an explanation.

So when Edwin Hubble discovered that the distant galaxies were red-shifted by the same amount no matter where he looked, he rejected the idea that the galaxies were moving in relation to the earth for the sole reason that it would imply the earth occupied a central location in the cosmos.

…Such a condition would imply that we occupy a unique position in the universe, analogous, in a sense, to the ancient conception of a central Earth.…This hypothesis cannot be disproved, but it is unwelcome and would only be accepted as a last resort in order to save the phenomena. Therefore we disregard this possibility...the unwelcome position of a favored location must be avoided at all costs...such a favored position is intolerable….Therefore, in order to restore homogeneity, and to escape the horror of a unique position…must be compensated by spatial curvature. There seems to be no other escape . . .

https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept04/Hubble/paper.pdf (p.40)​

 

[Aaron]

Astronomers think the earth's position is a sign of purpose. Do you agree?

 

[Zaac]

Astronomers think the earth's position is a sign of purpose. Do you agree?

How do astronomers know what the earth's position is in an undefined universe? The earth's position in relation to what? To something only as far away as from which we're able to receive light?

 

[Aaron]

The earth's position in relation to what? To something only as far away as from which we're able to receive light?

The earth's location In relation to everything else in the universe.

 

[Alcott]

Astronomers think the earth's position is a sign of purpose. Do you agree?

Let's have a reference on that. What astronomers?

 

[Aaron]

See post #22

 

[Alcott]

See post #22

I did. What you cite is just the beginning of realizing universal expansion. The fact that the galaxies generally are moving away from us just means they are expanding and we would observe this from any reference frame.

 

[Aaron]

I did. What you cite is just the beginning of realizing universal expansion. The fact that the galaxies generally are moving away from us just means they are expanding and we would observe this from any reference frame.

No, I cited the aversion to the idea that the earth is in the center of the expansion, and the reason it's rejected:

This hypothesis cannot be disproved, but it is unwelcome​

Why is it unwelcome? Because it would mean the earth occupies a special place. I'd quote more here, but I'd just be reposting what I posted in #22.

 

[percho]

Looking up "stars--" plural-- I get 51 results, of which 15 are in the New Testament, of which 8 are in Revelation. I see 3 main 'purposes' that they serve...
1) to declare the glory of the Lord-- light, fixation, never absent,
2) often a parallel to/with sand of the seashore, to illustrate numbers and vastness; Abraham's descendants, points of wisdom, enemies, God's knowledge (he gives names to them all).
3) to 'rule' the night; supposedly to aid in position, time, direction, navigation; as well to remind us that light [God] is not absent even at night.

Okay, does that answer your questions here, or have you been slithering up to something else?

um..............................................................................

 

[Aaron]

What role does the earth play in the purpose of the universe?

 

[percho]

It appears to be where all the action relative to God and man has, is, and will be taking place yet maybe in a renewed state. However the heavens also maybe will be renewed. From there maybe man will expand into the universe

 

[Aaron]

It appears to be where all the action relative to God and man has, is, and will be taking place. . .

That it does.